ESPNU not impressed with Big 12 football in 2013

Not much to see here.

That was ESPNU's message to Big 12 football fans Monday morning.

To whet our appetite for the upcoming college football season, the network announced it will re-air its choices for the top 25 college football games of last year. The contests will be televised in descending order, with the No. 25 game -- Michigan State's 24-20 win against Stanford in the Rose Bowl -- kicking off the countdown at 6 tonight.

The order of the top five games will be determined by fan vote through a SportsNation poll. Top five options are Auburn's 34-28 win against Alabama, Auburn's 43-38 win against Georgia, Florida State's 34-31 win against Auburn in the BCS championship, Ohio State's 42-41 win against Michigan, and Texas A&M's 52-48 win against Duke in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

In announcing the series, ESPN said it would relive the best of 2013. If that's the case, the Big 12 must have been all but dead. Oklahoma's 33-24 victory against rival Oklahoma State was selected as the 10th-best game of 2013 and will be televised at 6 p.m. July 30, but no other game involving a Big 12 team is found on the list.

Meanwhile, 10 games involving SEC teams appear on the chart, followed by six games featuring the Big Ten and five featuring the Pac-12. Even the American Athletic Conference dominated the Big 12 with three listings -- Fresno State's 52-51 overtime victory against Rutgers at No. 22, Rutger's 55-52 overtime victory against SMU at No. 12, and UCF's 38-35 win over Louisville at No. 8.

Here in the Sunflower State, Kansas State had at least one game that should have warranted consideration. The Wildcats' 33-31 victory against TCU on Nov. 16 featured a wild third quarter that included 31 combined points and wasn't decided until Jack Cantele kicked a 41-yard field goal with three seconds to play.

It's worth noting, though, that Fox Sports carried the K-State-TCU game and ESPN listed only four games in which it didn't have rights.

K-State's 31-14 victory against Michigan in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl likely lacked the late-game drama to be considered, even though it featured a record-setting 10-catch, three-touchdown performance from Tyler Lockett.

Following is the top 25 list and schedule of games ESPNU will televise (all times Topeka):

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I used to think that the Big 12 was on equal footing with them the SEC I mean.

But, frankly, I am tired of the pass oriented try to out score everyone teams the Big 12 produces. I mean it is sad flipping day when Baylor is considered one of the teams that represents one of the premier teams in the Big 12. Baylor.....

Even my main man Bill Snyder caved into this nonsense by going with a passing QB over a perfectly situated dual action QB that could have killed the clock in Snyder well known ground oriented dominance of other teams with passing QB that tried to light up the scoreboard. That is how he won 11 games a half dozen times or more. But, that is another rant.

In short, I am not happy about the direction the Big 12 has taken but doubt that ESPN is smart enough to see the above points and has only focused on the stranglehold the SEC had on the BCS Championship game. ESPN otherwise would not appreciate the defense first approach the SEC has on football.

I used to hate the SEC but have grown to a different perspective because I value the running game and a strong defense and that is the SEC.

I think KSU will have the strong defense so I have not sold my season tickets yet but am plenty upset with what they did at QB and what looks like a lack of effort to replace Hubert but am hopeful some underclassman on the team can still run the ball when they need it.